Structure for attaching and detaching attachment to/from shoe sole

ABSTRACT

A structure for inserting an insert member of an attachment, etc., into a concave receptacle portion embedded in a shoe sole and removably pinching and fixing the insert member inside the concave receptacle portion with an elastic member, the structure being capable of permitting the removal of the attachment with a wrench for a screw. The structure is constituted as follows.  
     First, the structure has a concave receptacle portion embedded in a shoe sole and an attachment having an attaching/detaching tool fitting portion formed on the shoe sole side and an insert member that is to be inserted into the concave receptacle portion and is formed on the opposite side.  
     Second, the insert member is inserted into the concave receptacle portion, and inside the concave receptacle portion, the insert member of the attachment is removably pinched and fixed with an elastic member.  
     Third, a pushing-up gradient surface is formed on one side of the concave receptacle portion side or the insert member side, and a copying portion for copying the pushing-up gradient surface is formed on the other side.  
     Fourth, the attachment is turned with an attaching/detaching tool to remove the insert member from the concave receptacle portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a structure for attaching and detaching an attachment to/from a shoe sole, and it is mainly directed to development of a structure for attaching and detaching a heel of a shoe and a structure for attaching and detaching a spike, etc., provided to a sole portion of an athletic shoe such as a golf player shoe for preventing the slipping of the shoe.

[0003] 2. Prior Art of the Invention

[0004] In the field of athletic shoes, the present applicant has already filed an application directed to an attachable and detachable spike having a structure in which an insert member of a spike is inserted into a concave receptacle portion of an attaching base member to be embedded in a desired portion of a sole portion and the insert member is removably pinched and fixed with an elastic member, and the above application has been laid-open under the publication number of JP-A-11-89609.

[0005] In the above attachable and detachable spike structure, attaching is easy, but detaching requires lifting with something like a nail puller or a pry. A specialized detaching tool has been therefore required, and inconveniently, no conventional wrench for a screw can be used. Further, the above structure is not suitable for fitting an attachment that requires positioning of front and back portions like a heel, and it is impossible to apply the above structure to a heel and a shoe sole.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a structure for attaching and detaching an attachment having a structure in which an insert member of the attachment is inserted into a concave receptacle portion embedded in a desired portion of a shoe sole and pinched and fixed in the concave receptacle portion with an elastic member but which is provided with a mechanism allowing the attachment to be easily detached with a detaching tool such as a conventional wrench for a screw, so that the attachment can be removed with a conventional wrench for a screw.

[0007] It is another object of the present invention to provide a structure for attaching and detaching an attachment to/from a shoe sole, which attachment has directivity like a heel but can be accurately aligned and fitted and which can be easily detached.

[0008] Means to Solve the Problems

[0009] For overcoming the above problems, the present invention employs the following constitution of a structure for attaching and detaching an attachment to/from a shoe sole. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure for attaching and detaching an attachment to/from a shoe sole, which structure employs the following means.

[0010] First, the structure for attaching and detaching an attachment is constituted of a concave receptacle portion embedded in a shoe sole and an attachment having an attaching/detaching tool fitting portion formed on the shoe sole side and an insert member to be inserted into the concave receptacle portion, which insert member is formed on the opposite side.

[0011] Second, the insert member is inserted into the concave receptacle portion, and inside the concave receptacle portion, the insert member of the attachment is removably pinched and fixed with an elastic member.

[0012] Third, a pushing-up gradient surface is formed on one side of the concave receptacle portion side or the insert member side, and a copying portion for copying the pushing-up gradient surface is formed on the other side.

[0013] Fourth, the attachment is turned with an attaching/detaching tool to remove the insert member from the concave receptacle portion.

[0014] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure for attaching and detaching an attachment to/from a shoe sole, which structure employs the following means.

[0015] First, the structure for attaching and detaching an attachment is constituted of a concave receptacle portion embedded in a shoe sole, a holding tool having an attaching/detaching tool fitting portion and an attachment pressing flange formed on the shoe sole side and having an insert member formed on the opposite side, the insert member being to be inserted into the concave receptacle portion, and an attachment having a hole through which the insert member can be inserted.

[0016] Second, the insert member of the holding tool is inserted into the concave receptacle portion through the through hole of the attachment, and inside the concave receptacle portion, the insert of the holding tool is removably pinched and fixed with an elastic member.

[0017] Third, a pushing-up gradient surface is formed on one side of the concave receptacle portion side or the insert member side, and a copying portion for copying the pushing-up gradient surface is formed on the other side.

[0018] Fourth, the holding tool is turned with an attaching/detaching tool to remove the insert member from the concave receptacle portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment in which an insert member is formed in a heel sole.

[0020]FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the above first embodiment.

[0021]FIG. 3 is a drawing for showing a portion that uses the present invention.

[0022]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment in which an insert member is formed in a holding tool.

[0023]FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the structure of the above second embodiment.

[0024]FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment directed to a structure for detaching a spike.

[0025]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the structure of the third embodiment showing the state of attaching the spike.

[0026]FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a fourth embodiment.

[0027]FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a fifth embodiment.

[0028]FIG. 10 is a drawing of an insert member having two engaging grooves.

[0029]FIG. 11 is a drawing showing a state of attaching a spike metal member of a baseball player shoe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] Embodiments and examples of the present invention will be explained with reference to drawings hereinafter. FIGS. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the structure for attaching and detaching an attachment to/from a shoe sole. The present invention can be applied to almost all shoes including athletic shoes, and the first embodiment is directed to an example in which a heel sole 1 of a shoe for a woman is provided as an attachment.

[0031] The structure for attaching and detaching an attachment to/from a shoe sole in the first embodiment has an attaching base member 8 having a concave receptacle portion 9 and the heel sole 1 that is an attachment having an insert member 4 formed. For example, when the heel sole 1 is a small heel sole such as a heel sole 1 of a shoe for a woman, the heel sole 1 can be fixed directly to a shoe heel with one insert member 4. In the present invention, the concave receptacle portion 9 may be formed directly in a shoe sole 2, while the first embodiment uses the attaching base member 8 that is separately provided for the convenience of production

[0032] The concave receptacle portion 9 into which the insert member 4 of the heel sole 1 is to be inserted is formed in the attaching base member 8 to be embedded in a desired portion of the shoe sole 2, and a spring ring 12 as an elastic member is fitted inside the concave receptacle portion 9 in a fashion in which the spring ring 12 projects toward an inside of the concave receptacle portion 9.

[0033] Four notches are formed in a top end portion (lower end portion in FIG. 1) of the concave receptacle portion 9, and each of them forms a pushing-up gradient surface 10. The notches are arranged in a fashion in which bottom portions of them are positioned at intervals of 90 degrees. When the heel sole 1 has defined forward and backward directions alone and is symmetrical with regard to the forwarding direction, there may be employed a constitution in which two notches are provided in forward and backward places. When the heel sole 1 is not symmetrical with regard to the forward direction, four notches are formed at intervals of 90 degrees, so that the direction of the insert member 4 can be adjusted at a unit of 90 degrees.

[0034] The attaching base member 8 is separated to a main attaching base member and a cover member 13 in a position located deeper than a position where the spring ring 12 is fitted inside the concave receptacle portion 9. As a result, a production process can employ a method in which the spring ring 12 is fitted inside the attaching base member 8 in a separated state and then, the cover member 13 is fitted and tightened to fix it. In the drawings, numeral 11 indicates a flange, and it is formed so that the attaching base member 8 in the shoe sole 2 does not easily come off.

[0035] A wrench hole 5 as an attaching/detatching tool fitting portion is made in the heel sole 1, and the insert member 4 to be inserted into the concave receptacle portion 9 is also formed there. Near a top end of the insert member 4, an engaging groove 6 for removably fixing the spring ring 12 is made.

[0036] On a lower surface of the heel sole 1, copying projections 7 are formed in four places corresponding to the notches of the attaching base member 8. Each copying projection 7 has a size corresponding to the depth of the notches of the attaching base member 8. The copying projections 7 have a positional relationship in which each copying projection does not come into contact with the pushing-up gradient surface 10 in the deepest portion of the bottom of the notch but, while the heel sole 1 is turned, the copying projections 7 slide along the pushing-up gradient surfaces 10 to be pushed up.

[0037] In this embodiment, the heel sole 1 is removably pinched and fixed by inserting the insert member 4 into the concave receptacle portion 9 of the attaching base member 8 and engaging the spring ring 12 of the concave receptacle portion 9 with the engaging groove 6 of the insert member 4. After the insertion, the insert member 4 is turned to some extent (90 degrees to 180 degrees or less), whereby the copying projections 7 slide along the notches so that the insert member 4 enters the concave receptacle portion 9, and the spring ring 12 comes to be engaged with the engaging groove 6 to lock the insert member 4.

[0038] The basic idea of a detaching mechanism is that, in a state where the insert member 4 of the heel sole 1 is removably pinched and fixed in the concave receptacle portion 9 of the attaching base member 8 with the spring ring 12, a wrench is inserted into the wrench hole 5 of the heel sole 1, and the heel sole 1 is turned to slide the copying projections 7 on the pushing-up gradient surfaces 10, whereby the insert member 4 is lifted up from the inside of the concave receptacle portion 9, and the heel sole 1 is removed from the concave receptacle portion 9 of the attaching base member 8.

[0039]FIGS. 4 and 5 show a second embodiment. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the second embodiment in which an insert member 4 is formed in a holding tool, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the above portion. In principle, the second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, and the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in that a heel sole 1 and the holding tool 3 are separate from each other and that two attaching and detaching structures are provided since the second embodiment is directed to the heel sole 1, as an attachment, of a shoe for a man.

[0040] The structure for attaching and detaching the attachment to/from a shoe sole 2 in this embodiment has an attaching base member 8 having a concave receptacle portion 9, the holding tool 3 having the insert member 4 and the heel sole 1 as an attachement. Each of the attaching base members 8 embedded in two places of the shoe sole 2 has the concave receptacle portion 9 into which the insert member 4 of the holding tool 3 is to be inserted, and inside the concave receptacle portion 9, a spring ring 12 as an elastic member is fitted. Four notches are formed in a top end portion of the concave receptacle portion 9, and each of them forms a pushing-up gradient surface 10. The notches are arranged in a fashion in which bottom portions of them are positioned at intervals of 90 degrees.

[0041] Rench holes 5 are made in the holding tool 3, and the holding tool 3 has the insert member 4 to be inserted into the concave receptacle portion 9. An engaging groove 6 for removably fixing the spring ring 12 is made near the top end portion of the insert member 4. A through hole 22 is made in the heel sole 1 and has a size large enough for the inert member 4 of the holding tool 3 to pass through it but too small for a flange portion 23 to pass through it.

[0042] On a lower surface of the holding tool 3, copying projections 7 are formed in four places corresponding to the notches of the attaching base member 8. Each copying projection 7 has a size corresponding to the depth of the notches of the attaching base member 8. The copying projections 7 have a positional relationship in which each copying projection does not come into contact with the pushing-up gradient surface 10 in the deepest portion of the bottom of the notch but, while the heel sole 1 is turned, the copying projections 7 slide along the pushing-up gradient surfaces 10 to be pushed up.

[0043] In this embodiment, the heel sole 1 is fixed by being pressed with the flange portion 23 of the holding tool 3. The holding tool 3 is removably pinched and fixed by inserting the insert member 4 into the concave receptacle portion 9 of the attaching base member 8 and engaging the spring ring 12 of the concave receptacle portion 9 with the engaging groove 6 of the insert member 4. The basic idea of a detaching mechanism is that, in a state where the insert member 4 of holding tool 3 is removably pinched and fixed in the concave receptacle portion 9 of the attaching base member 8 with the spring ring 12, a wrench is inserted into the wrench hole(s) 5 of the holding tool 3, and the holding tool 3 is turned to slide the copying projections 7 on the pushing-up gradient surfaces 10, whereby the insert member 4 is lifted up, the holding tool 3 is removed from the concave receptacle portion 9 of the attaching base member 8, and then the heel sole 1 is removed. In this embodiment, the copying projections 7 is not shown.

[0044] A third embodiment is directed to a structure for attaching and detaching an attachment when the attachment is a spike. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the structure according to the third embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the above structure. The structure has an attaching base member 8 and a spike 31. In the present invention, a concave receptacle portion 9 may be formed directly in the sole of an athletic shoe, while this embodiment uses the attaching base member 8 that is separately provided for the convenience of production.

[0045] The concave receptacle portion 9 into which an insert member 4 of the spike 31 is to be inserted is formed in the attaching base member 8 to be embedded in a desired portion of the shoe sole, and a spring ring 12 as an elastic member is fitted inside the concave receptacle portion 9. Notices are made in two places of a top end portion (upper end portion in FIG. 7) of the concave receptacle portion 9, and each notch forms a pushing-up gradient surface 10.

[0046] The attaching base member 8 is separated to a main attaching base member and a cover member 13 in a position located deeper than a position where the spring ring 12 is fitted inside the concave receptacle portion 9. As a result, a production process can employ a method in which the spring ring 12 is fitted inside the attaching base member 8 in a separated state and then, the cover member 13 is fitted and tightened to fix it. In the drawings, numeral 11 indicates a flange, and it is formed so that the attaching base member 8 in the sole of the athletic shoe does not easily come off.

[0047] The spike 31 has a spike pin 32, a flange portion 33 having wrench holes 5 made therein and the insert member 4 to be inserted into the concave receptacle portion 9. An engaging groove 6 for removably fixing the spring ring 12 is made near the top end portion of the insert member 4.

[0048] On a lower surface of the flange portion 33 of the spike 31, copying projections 7 are provided in two places corresponding to the notches of the attaching base member 8. Each copying projection 7 has a size corresponding to the depth of the notches of the attaching base member 8. The copying projections 7 have a positional relationship in which each copying projection does not come into contact with the pushing-up gradient surface 10 in the deepest portion of the bottom of the notch but, while the flange portion 33 is turned, the copying projections 7 slide along the pushing-up gradient surfaces 10 to be pushed up.

[0049] In this embodiment, the spike 31 is removably pinched and fixed by inserting the insert member 4 into the concave receptacle portion 9 of the attaching base member 8 and engaging the spring ring 12 of the concave receptacle portion 9 with the engaging groove 6 of the insert member 4 of the spike 31.

[0050] The basic idea of a detaching mechanism is common to all the embodiments, and in a state where the insert member 4 of the spike 31 is removably pinched and fixed in the concave receptacle portion 9 of the attaching base member 8 with the spring ring 12, a wrench is inserted into the wrench hole(s) 5 of the spike 31, and the spike 31 is turned to slide the copying projections 7 on the pushing-up gradient surfaces 10, whereby the insert member 4 is lifted up, and the spike 31 is removed from the concave receptacle portion 9 of the attaching base member 8. Like the heel, the spike may also employ a constitution in which the insert member 4 and the spike pin 32 may be formed separately.

[0051]FIG. 8 shows a fourth embodiment, in which a pushing-up gradient surface 20 is formed by obliquely cutting a top end portion (upper end portion in FIG. 8) of a concave receptacle portion 9, and as a copying portion, a copying surface 27 is formed on a lower surface of a flange portion 33 of a spike 31.

[0052]FIG. 9 shows a fifth embodiment, in which a pushing-up gradient surface 20 is formed in a bottom surface inside a concave receptacle portion 9 and a copying surface 17 is formed as a gradient surface on an end surface of an insert member 4 of a spike 31.

[0053]FIG. 11 shows a sixth embodiment directed to a structure for attaching and detaching a spike metal member 34 of a baseball player shoe which member is to be fitted to a shoe sole 2 of the baseball player shoe. Conventionally, most of spike metal members are fixed with a hexagon headed bolt, and when it is not necessary to replace them, they are sometimes nailed. When the constitution of the sixth embodiment is employed, the spike metal members 34 of a baseball player shoe can be easily replaced.

[0054] In all of the above embodiments, the spring ring 12 is attached in the concave receptacle portion 9 of the attaching base member 8 and the engaging groove 6 is formed in the insert member 4. However, there may be employed a constitution in which the spring ring is attached to the insert member 4 and the engaging groove 6 is formed in an inner wall of the concave receptacle portion 9 of the attaching base member 8.

[0055] In all of the embodiments, the attachments such as the heel sole 1, etc., the holding tool 3 and the concave receptacle portion 9 may be made of metal, may be made of resin or may be made of both. For example, when the attachment is the spike 31 of a golf player shoe, metals are suitable therefor. When the attachment is the shoe sole 2, resins are suitable therefor.

[0056] Further, as shown in FIG. 10, there may be employed a constitution in which engaging grooves 6 constituting structures for receiving the insert member 4 are provided in two or more places. In this constitution, even if the insert member 4 in one place comes off, the spring ring 12 engages with the engaging groove 6 in the other place, so that the insert member 4 does not easily come off.

[0057] As Examples of the present invention, the structures for attaching and detaching the heel sole 1 and the spike 31 of a golf player shoe have been explained, while the attaching and detaching structures of the present invention can be applied to attaching and detaching structures for a heel itself, a shoe sole itself, an outer sole of a multi-sole shoe, spikes for a field/track player, spikes of football and base ball player shoes and non-slip members of snow boots and shoes for sportfishing or fishing.

[0058] Effect of the Invention

[0059] The present invention having the above-described constitution for ues produces the following effects.

[0060] The attachment can be easily removed with a conventional wrench since the present invention employs a constitution in which the attaching/detaching tool fitting portion is formed in the attachment or the holding tool to be attached to a shoe sole, the pushing-up gradient surface is formed on one side of the concave receptacle portion side or the attachment (holding tool) side, the copying portion for copying the pushing-up gradient surface is formed on the other side, and the attachment (holding tool) is turned to remove the insert member from the concave receptacle portion. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A structure for attaching and detaching an attachment to/from a shoe sole, comprising a concave receptacle portion embedded in the shoe sole and the attachment having an attaching/detaching tool fitting portion formed on the shoe sole side and having an insert member that is formed on the opposite side and is to be inserted into the concave receptacle portion, the structure having a constitution in which the insert member is inserted into the concave receptacle portion and the insert member of the attachment is removably pinched and fixed in the concave receptacle portion with an elastic member, wherein a pushing-up gradient surface is formed on one side of the concave receptacle portion side and the insert member side, a copying portion for copying the pushing-up gradient surface is formed on the other side, and the attachment is turned with the attaching/detaching tool to remove the insert member from the concave receptacle portion.
 2. A structure for attaching and detaching an attachment to/from a shoe sole, comprising a concave receptacle portion embedded in the shoe sole, a holding tool having an attaching/detaching tool fitting portion and an attachment pressing flange portion formed on the shoe sode side and having an insert member that is formed on the opposite side and is to be inserted into the concave receptacle portion and the attachment having a through hole through which the insert member can pass, the structure having a constitution in which the insert member of the holding tool is inserted into the concave receptacle portion through the through hole of the attachment and the insert member of the holding tool is removably pinched and fixed inside the concave receptacle portion with an elastic member, wherein a pushing-up gradient surface is formed on one side of the concave receptacle portion side and the insert member side, a copying portion for copying the pushing-up gradient surface is formed on the other side, and the holding tool is turned with an attaching/detaching tool to remove the insert member from the concave receptacle portion.
 3. A structure for attaching and detaching an attachment to/from a shoe sole, comprising a concave receptacle portion embedded in a shoe sole and an attachment having an attaching/detaching tool fitting portion formed on the shoe sole side and having an insert member that is formed on the opposite side and is to be inserted into the concave receptacle portion, the structure having a constitution in which an elastic member is fitted in the concave receptacle portion, an engaging groove for engaging with the elastic member is formed in the insert member, the insert member is inserted into the concave receptacle portion and the insert member of the attachment is pinched and fixed in the concave receptacle portion with the elastic member, wherein a pushing-up gradient surface is formed on one side of the concave receptacle portion side and the insert member side, a copying portion for copying the pushing-up gradient surface is formed on the other side, and the attachment is turned with the attaching/detaching tool to remove the insert member from the concave receptacle portion.
 4. A structure for attaching and detaching an attachment to/from a shoe sole, comprising a concave receptacle portion embedded in the shoe sole, a holding tool having an attaching/detaching tool fitting portion and an attachment pressing flange portion formed on the shoe sode side and having an insert member that is formed on the opposite side and is to be inserted into the concave receptacle portion and the attachment having a through hole through which the insert member can pass, the structure having a constitution in which an elastic member is fitted in the concave receptacle portion, an engaging groove for engaging with the elastic member is formed in the insert member, the insert member of the holding tool is inserted into the concave receptacle portion through the through hole of the attachment and the insert member of the holding tool is removably pinched and fixed inside the concave receptacle portion with the elastic member, wherein a pushing-up gradient surface is formed on one side of the concave receptacle portion side and the insert member side, a copying portion for copying the pushing-up gradient surface is formed on the other side, and the holding tool is turned with an attaching/detaching tool to remove the insert member from the concave receptacle portion.
 5. The structure of claims 1 to 4, wherein the concave receptacle portion is separated into a main receptacle portion and a cover member, the elastic member is fitted inside the main receptacle portion and the cover member is fitted and tightened to fix it.
 6. The structure of claim 1 or 5, wherein the concave receptacle portion is provided with notches, as the pushing-up gradient surface, on a top end portion thereof and the attachment is provided with copying projections as the copying portion for copying the pushing-up gradient surface.
 7. The structure of claim 1 or 5, wherein the pushing-up gradient surface is formed by obliquely cutting a top end portion of the concave receptacle portion, and the attachment is provided with a copying gradient surface as the copying portion for copying the pushing-up gradient surface.
 8. The structure of claim 2 or 4, wherein the concave receptacle portion is provided with notches, as the pushing-up gradient surface, on a top end portion thereof and the holding tool is provided with copying projections as the copying portion for copying the pushing-up gradient surface.
 9. The structure of claim 2 or 4, wherein the pushing-up gradient surface is formed by obliquely cutting a top end portion of the concave receptacle portion, and the holding tool is provided with a copying gradient surface as the copying portion for copying the pushing-up gradient surface.
 10. The structure of claim 1 or 5, the pushing-up gradient surface is formed in a bottom surface inside the concave receptacle portion and an end surface of the insert member is formed as a gradient surface that works as the copying portion for copying the pushing-up gradient surface.
 11. The structure of claim 1 or 5, wherein the pushing-up gradient surface is formed of a plurality of notches and bottom portions of the notches are positioned at intervals of a predetermined angle.
 12. The structure of claims 1 to 11, wherein the attachment is a heel of a shoe or an outer sole of a multi-sole shoe.
 13. The structure of claims 1 to 11, wherein the attachment is a spike and a non-slip member. 